I was born in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1953 and therefore blessed with the optimism of the age; that science was the salvation of our future, that God (by whatever definition) was on our side, and that one day we would walk among the stars.

I have read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy. I like most sci-fi, but prefer the stuff from the classic period of the fifties like e.e. doc Cummings, A.E. van Vogt, Asimov, Heinlein, H. Beam Piper, Gordon Dickson, and the like. Clifford Simak is probably my favorite. I love his pastoral science fiction style, his querky imagination, and sense of humor.

Fantasy I began with Tolkien. My favorite authors are David Eddings and Raymond Feist, but there are a couple of thousand books in my past by hundreds of talented authors.

B.S. Biology w/ minors in Math and Chemistry (almost a triple major--I was very confused back then). Worked 2 years in drilling fluid research, 1 year in reservoir fluids research, and 20 years (retired) at Shell Chemical where I worked in polymer synthesis (2 patents) and catalytic reforming.